Insights from DataConnect 2024

In mid-July I attended the 2024 DataConnect Conference put on by Women in Analytics. I have been a part of the data community for over 30 years and found the conference offered fresh perspectives on several fronts.

I started my career as a developer, using that strong foundation in data fundamentals to move to increasingly senior delivery roles at Knightsbridge Solutions, Hewlett Packard, and Intel. Today, as cofounder and President of BBI, I often leverage that experience and fundamentals.

I was lucky enough to start the conference by connecting with a colleague from my Knightsbridge and HP days, Valerie Logan of The Data Lodge and Data Society Group. Valerie presented on the importance of data literacy within organizations.

DataConnect 2024 Experience

I witnessed several outstanding themes throughout the talks and in the “hallway track”:

• Inclusivity: The gender disparity and biases in tech are well-documented. While anyone is welcome to attend DataConnect, only women and non-binary participants are invited to speak. This provides a level of visibility unseen at most other technical conferences and creates a space that is highly welcoming.
• Low-code/No code: At BBI, we are always exploring ways to make data more accessible and actionable for our clients. Low-code/no code AI tooling is a step towards democratizing AI in general and has influenced a number of our own internal projects.
• Industry Breadth: I appreciated the variety of industries present amongst the attendees and speakers — from insurance, to banking, to retail, and more. While some business challenges are universal, others are more niche, such as the highly sensitive data finance and health companies manage. Or the number of data integration points an insurance company may need to pull from to create a true customer profile and quote.

I also want to congratulate the organizers on a very planned conference. The sessions were well-structured and the speakers spoke from deep expertise. A lot of effort clearly went into creating an agenda that covered both strategic and tactical needs.

Growth Through Data

It was a privilege to attend an event that showcased the latest the data community’s advancements and championed the importance of diversity and inclusivity in our industry. I am excited to share my experience with the team at BBI and use the insights to continue driving value for our clients.

If you attended the conference and want to talk or want to deep dive into the themes I highlighted above, please reach out on LinkedIn. I look forward to talking!